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"I as well," he admits quietly to himself, taking the tea with a grim nod.

"Truthfully, I fear that those may be the source of the greatest horrors of them all. Amplified certainly by monstrous strength and visage- but unfortunately striking from the hearts of man. There are so many good people here despite these things, and yet with things such as this, it only becomes so much harder for them as well." He sips his tea, head bowed.

"I don't understand it- no, I cannot understand it, how they can choose actions such as that, over peace."

"That adage really is true, it seems: the more things change, the more they are the same. Even in our time there were those that eschewed peace for cruelty."

She sighed softly, pouring her tea and adding a little bit of cream and sugar, "I just wish it weren't so... all of that. Reasonable discourse. Hopefully, a just outcome is made. But in the meantime, my love. I did make a lovely stew. If you would try a bite and tell me if it needs anything, I would deeply appreciate it. The recipe was a little confusing in places.

"Until we can speak with others on the matter, there is indeed rather little we can do in the current moment. A stew though?" he asks, sniffing the air despite himself. It does smell good... "Gladly!" Jonathan comes toward the pot while he says that, peering at the mixture. "What have you put into it so far?"

"Ah, beef, potatoes, carrots and pearl onions... a little tomato paste, and I even managed to deglaze the pan with red wine and red wine vinegar without burning anything. This time. And then some salt and pepper... a bayleaf... I feel like I am missing something." Erina flushed pink as she offers him up a spoon with a nice chunk of beef in it.

"Admittedly, I did not make the bread; that was a purchase as I do not desire to burn the house to ashes."

"Oh...!" And one spoon and...it's wonderful! There is a mild sense of burning but he's used to that.

That's just the salt. He can live with it. "It tastes absolutely wonderful thus far! I can't think of what could possibly be missing however..." As is. "I don't believe there is any shame in purchasing the bread as it is- there are a great many conveniences available here that we simply would not have had before, and it would be better for us to take advantage with what the country often throws our way."

"You do have a point there, dearest." Erina turns her attention back to the stew, leaning over to make sure that the gas has gone to an appropriate height to keep the stew simmering until Lizzie returns from playing.

"And at least we needn't worry about them adding sawdust or chalk to the loaves." She frowned at the thought and then shuddered. "Let's wait for Lizzie to come home. Oh, and turn around, I've a little present for you."

"Personally I'm quite astounded that people even did such a thing," he can't help but remark, the disbelief more than evident in his tone. "People were to be eating those! How could they have even considered such things?"

Well, before such an answer can come, he's already obediently turning around. "A present? Whatever could the occasion be?"

"Well, you know how people felt about very white things. And very green ones. Before I came here, I read an article in the lancet about people getting arsenic poisoning from dresses and wallpaper." Erina said as she reached up for her hidden chocolate bars.

"Does there need to be an occasion for a present, dearest? Now, close your eyes and open your mouth, if you would?" She asked as she picked the one with fruits and nuts in it, and held it in front of his mouth. It very clearly smelled of chocolate. "Then bite down."

"Arsenic!?" This is not helping things at all!

Ah, but that- "Alright. Is that chocolate I smell howe-" That is chocolate he's tasting for that matter!! "Mnh-! Mpf!"

Wait a minute he can't talk like this. Also he's definitely not closing his eyes anymore, sorry- too busy being very happy and surprised all in one.

Erina herself might hoard chocolate, but she doesn't eat very much of it at a time herself. She lets go of the bar so it hangs from his mouth comically.

"I saw a bit of it that you might like, so I purchased a bar for you." There was no way one bar of chocolate would ruin Jonathan's supper, after all. And life was short, besides. Dessert first.

"Mnhh? Mnh-" Erina this makes him seem quite rude! As it is, he's quickly got the rest of the chocolate bar in his mouth.

Even if he can't really thank her yet. It's written all over his face at least??

"I'm glad to see you like it, Jonathan." Even if she must keep them hidden for her own enjoyment. While Jonathan would never maliciously eat her chocolate, he would certainly eat a bite or two before she got to it again. And since she did not eat them often...

"Consider it my apology for being so cross earlier about the... situation."

Well he'll simply...listen while he chews. ...And eventually he can answer, yes. Chocolate swallowed!

"An apology? There was hardly any need," he insists, as he always does. "It was wonderful indeed, but it was only natural you feel that way after all!"

Things were, well. Rather upsetting!

[Erina's Christmas package arrives alongside Jonathan's, delivered early enough in the evening that it's still decently polite. He receives a matching tie and pair of socks, light blue with green frogs on them. Attached is a note that says I'm given to understand these are traditional gifts for fathers. There's little cause for formalwear here, but I liked the frogs. Merry Christmas.]

[There's also a panettone because it's Giorno.]

[ Season's greetings -- a Christmas present has arrived at the door!

It is a set of heat-resistant cookware and a bottle of wine. Some might question the wisdom of gifting a half-demon couple both heat resistance and flammable liquid, but not the sender of this gift! ]

This is your OFFICIAL notification that the monster pinup calendar photoshoot has been delayed to January 18th, owing to blizzards, burning, alien flesh parasites, and death. Sorry for the short notice, but your friendly neighborhood organizers were trapped in a death hotel, so. Tough.

In the meantime, this gives YOU more time to think about the shoot! As you're a Demon, your calendar month will be October, with the theme of Halloween. Your fellow monsters are Archmage and BlackHat on the Network; so maybe give them a holler, and see what you can cook up! Your month is the only one with three people in it, AND you have the prestige of Halloween, so you crazy kids go nuts.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you died and need to be excused, let us know.

- Harley Quinn

Edited 2021-01-16 03:10 (UTC)

[Erina tends to rise earlier than JoJo, so at his bedside table is card and a box of chocolates she'd hidden from him (Erina...) and the cookies she kept swatting at his hand to stay away from.]

My beloved & most darling Jonathan,

It may be most un matronly-like to dote on one's husband so, but I care not a whit for that. Despite everything, I am glad to be with you, and to celebrate our very first Valentine's as a married couple.

With love, always,

Your Erina.

[While her lovely monster husband is getting de-corked for the morning, Erina has made a very filling breakfast, while dressed in her clean, white nurse's uniform, preparing to go in for her day-only shift at the children's hospital.

Their finances are recovering well and it isn't like they need to buy clothing for a growing young lady when said young lady is a slime. So Erina has had a bit of time to hunt about and look for gifts for Jonathan. His first gift is a leatherbound journal with good quality paper. The one he'd been working with for his thesis - goodness, a thousand years ago it feels like - had been destroyed in the fire, but with this and some sketching pencils, he can scribble and draw to his heart's desire.

And, because she is a kind, loving wife, and would never wish to see her husband in distress, she has made sure to include some very good chocolate bars.]

[Suffice to say, Jonathan was not actually awake in time to see his dear wife off after opening the gifts. Wise in her ways as she is, by the time he's got paper unfolded carefully upon his desk, she is very much not in the building.

There was even chocolate though! How lovely!

As it stands, the minute she's up the stairs coming home, he's sweeping her off her feet into a grand embrace.] Erina..!

I hadn't even realized today had already arrived, particularly not with those odd advertisements and happenings..! [That Mall sure was something.] Thank you so much!

Oh! Hello, dearest.

[As he thanks her for his gifts she chuckles.]

Well, Jonathan, it would be very beyond the pale for me to forget your birthday. You truly did enjoy the journal then? I wasn't sure if it would be correct, though Giorno and I scoured quite a few places in Bavan to be sure you received appropriate gifts.

[She doesn't make mention of whether or not Giorno himself has yet visited his father. Considering everything regarding that alternate world, she knows he's been particularly introverted.]

It was wonderful..!

Do you mean to say that this is from Giorno as well however? I must write him immediately if that is the case! I had hoped to speak with him sooner, but with how upsetting I imagine things were for a time after we returned, I wanted to give him a chance to recover...

[Of course, Jonathan himself didn't think the living situation itself was unpleasant, but he can only imagine that it was disorienting. ...It certainly was for him anyway.]

[Erina shook her head gently and fluffed Jonathan's bangs some. His hair was always so wild by itself that it truly did not need her assistance, but it was going to get it, anyway.]

No, no. He has his own gift for you. But as he's been feeling somewhat poorly, he hasn't yet delivered it. Our poor boy.

[Whatever that strange experience had been, it had not been entirely unpleasant (even if Erina had awoken someone annoyed with Jonathan's dreamtime vigilantism). She sighed softly and pressed her lips to Jonathan's briefly.]

When he's up for it, I am sure he will come as quickly as possible for a visit. We spoke a bit about things earlier.

Then perhaps that is all the more reason I need to finish writing...I've neglected this far too long. I may be out of practice with regard to letters, but this is hardly any excuse if he's still in such a state.

[He apparently feels quite strongly about this. Or at least, strongly upset- people are sad...]

Just be gentle, Jonathan. He's only a boy, and a scarred one at that. We must be patient with him.

Though, I do admit if we hadn't heard from him a day later, I was going to go and make sure he was well.

[Specifically kicking in the door of his room, but that was neither here nor there. He'd contacted them, he was safe.]

Oh-

[Gentle?? Are his letters not gentle??] ...Should I...not be writing then?

[He's rather lost now!!!]

IC INBOX | RYSLIG

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december 24.

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<GiggleGrrl> - Morning, January 14th

Backdated to 2/14

[Morning of 4/4]

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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, JOJO. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 336.66.256.63 * JOJO has joined 336.66.256.63 <JOJO...?>** Technically this message doesn't exist. Jonathan doesn't actually have a laptop. I just needed an Inbox.